2005 ROCK-TOBER CHEMO GIRLS

Cindy all the best in your first chemo treatment, we are behind you.

I might post more later, my older sister is in the hospital. She is okay but having some major mental health issues due to trauma that happened to her in her childhood that is just starting to surface now. So I dont know if I will be on tonight as I dont know what visiting hours are yet.

Everyone be well and I will check back in when I can.

Love to everyone
Michele

well done Cindy! we are behind you all the way.
Laura, whew, you must be relieved!
Amy, enjoy your party weekend!

Ravdeb, lol, strutting my stuff... hardly! Moving between couches more likely.
i am still enjoying my mum's cooking, which is a big help, since i still tire easily. I dont know if its post-op fatigue, lack of lat muscle on my back, or general lack of exercise, but my back gets really sore after a bit of walking. I miss my Pilates but its going to be a few more weeks before i can get back into it.
I can also really feel being back on Tamoxifen, with hot flashes and joint pains.. ugh.. the break was nice.

i also had a bit of a scare with one of my front incisions on a radiated side - it has a tiny hole in it. So today i panicked and went back to hospital but was told its ok. Its not actually a hole but a skin fold. Looking at all the scars is a bit upsetting, but i am trying to think positive and be patient.

love you girls,
Paula

Don’t need to wish you luck dEB. I KNOW you’ll do a wonderful job because it’s just in you and you also work hard at it.

I’ll be thinking about you all day today Cindy. This elephant sister seems to be always dragging behind but I really do care and have my trunk held high too.

Laura, good news about your tests. I’ve been there, done that only my results weren’t the same as yours so was really praying all would be good for you.

Michele, I can also relate to your concern about your sister. My only sister has some serious issues in her life which I can do nothing about except love her.

TracyS–glad you’re getting to go to the Ocean with Dave. You need to get away from the job stress. My plans for the holiday weekend include leaving tomorrow for San Francisco for a cousin’s daughter’s wedding on Sunday and then spending Monday with the cousins who will still be there. I leave on the red-eye flight at 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday for NY via Minneapolis. Have my pre-op appointment on the 31st and my exchange surgery on June 4.

Debbie our holiday weekend (memorial day) is considered a legal holiday. When I was young it was on May 30 and that was our last day of school. All we did that day was get our report cards to find out if we were promoted to the next grade and were released. The rest of the day was spent with several of my parents friends and their children, usually in a park. Now it’s observed on the last Monday in May. According to my Google search it was started after the Civil War to commemorate those soldiers who fought in that war and then came to include all those who had fought and died in subsequent wars. It’s also a day where we go to the cemetery and clean up around the stones and plant flowers.

It sounds like you have a nice weekend planned. I bought Catherine a card but proceeded to loose it, I thought on my desk. Yesterday I found it at my house so am going to send it off today. In the meantime wish her a happy day.

Victoria–full circle for you in many ways it looks like-happy to see wildflower back–it was how I first remembered you. Hope your weekend in Santa Fe is fun and filled with joy.

Deb - family rounders is a game of rounders that all the families play.There was about 100 of us there.
I hit the ball - it soared up into the trees and i watched in dumstruck amazement. When i had realised that i had actually hit it , i ran towards first base as fast as i could. i suddenly realised that i wasnt 12 years old , but 35 with arimidex legs and proceeded to fall over (quite spectacularly - skidded on both knees then rolled up onto one shoulder then ended up flat on my back facing the wrong way) I only made it to first base - after i had fought my way through all the concerned players (many of whom are parents from my school - fantastic) I felt like i had swum the Atlantic!! After that, i hit the ball and Catherine ran for me.
I guess i cant see a major career change coming up soon.Unless of course my future lies as a speed skater?? Will find out tomorrow.
Paula - glad to know you are doing OK.
Deb - glad the service went well. The scouts are running the service on Sunday- i have instructions to bake muffins.

I have broken up for half term today - go back a week on Tuesday - thats one bonus of a school based job.
Debbie

I only have a minute but wanted to check in on Cindy. I was thinking about you all day. Glad you are doing well. You won't get sick, don't even think about it.

I probably won't be on much over the weekend so everyone have a good holiday. We are having a family picnic tomorrow and I'm not sure about the other two days. I am sure I will find a minute here or there to check in sometime.

Cindy - I'm here to check on you too.... Glad to hear you are doing good. ((hugs)) love ya!

Cheers for Cindy!!
OK - off skating soon - if i dont post soon , I am either in traction , or one of the kids i have taken is.
Debbie

Cindy, thinking about you this morning! Hugs, sister!

I'm so sorry I missed all the birthdays - so belated b-day wishes to all the birthday girls!!

I try to at least check in on the posts (can't say I was able to do that much this week) even when I don't post but I haven't even been able to get on the computer for more than 5 minutes this week!
The neighborhood pool opens today, it feels like summer...sort of...the weather isn't exactly cooperating but I can bet the kids won't care. As long as they don't get hypothermia!!
We had a sleep over last night (or is that an awake over, Mary Anne??) so, again, I've got to run.
Please know you're all on my heart and in my thoughts even if I'm not on here every day!!

Have a great day ladies!!

Wow, I'm feeling great this morning. Must be the steroids in the drip! LOL Luckily they didn't keep me up last night. I got a respectable 8 hours of sleep. Don't feel queasy at all yet this morning, so I'm holding off on the anti-nausea pills until needed. I think the side effects from the pills can sometimes be worse than what they fix!

I've got 12 weekly treatments, so only 11 more! Yikes, that sounds like a lot, but I get every fourth week off. I wonder if I could skip the weeks off if I'm feeling good and my blood counts are OK. I've been told that side effects are usually much less with weekly treatments, because the dosage is smaller. You still get the same amount per month, but it's easier on your body.

I'm sure the fatigue will accumulate, etc. And I'm almost certain to lose my hair. I've still got a bunch of hats from last time, but one of the ladies in my May group said she was going to get some Buffs, which none of us had ever heard of. They're kind of hard to describe, so I'll post a link of how you wear them. The blooper video is funny!

http://www.buffusa.com/waystowear.html

From this summer collection, I chose: Blue Sun, Kasba, and Xinland.
http://www.buyabuff.com/Summer/summer.htm

Oh, Cindy, my thoughts are with you. Hope all is still going well and you are feeling okay. I join with everyone else in supporting you.

Debbie: your description of Rounders sounds like baseball and somewhere in my memory is the knowledge that this is the name the English call our national pasttime. My husband and I are very fond of the game. Actually, he is nuts about baseball and if he had knees that were free of arthritis would still be playing in an over-50-year-old league. Hope you have a very fun holiday with your family.

Laura: good news on the biposy. I have had those tests and procedures myself. I agree, owie, owie!! Before BC my major health concern were the GYN issues of fibroids and endometrial hyperplasia. The lining was too thick and I was not menstruating regularly so we had to keep doing biopsies to be sure nothing "bad" was happening. All along, "bad" was in my breast. <Sigh>

Tracy: hope your trip to the ocean is fun. Good luck on the employment front. My job has been awful lately so I sympathize with your struggles.

Kelly: Hope you and Teryn are enjoying a wonderful weekend with nothing shaking around you.

Brenda: Hello to you. Loved your Angus picture a few days ago. What a joy to have him. Also, impressed by your boys in the last picture. What a fine family.

Victoria: Sounds like a nice weekend for you. Will you be strong enough for another move? Wondering how you are physically feeling. So glad your loving family is close to you in spirit.

Rosemarie: I'm imagining you herding children about with a "Supermom" outfit. You are amazing and probably dead tired by now.

Cathy: Wish I could come and see you next week after the surgery. YOur daughter will be taking care of you, correct? Well, I know you are going to be happy to have it finally done. Good luck with everything!!!

Amy: I'm having withdrawl pains from trash TV. From the library, I checked out some silly, romantic comedy movies to watch over the weekend to prolong the romantic glow of "The Bachelor," but it didn't help much. Hope you are having the best weekend ever at the beach.

MaryAnne: oh, sad event to witness with the young girl. I hope she will be okay. I'm looking outside now and thinking of you paddling on the water. I live a block from the Erie Canal and when I walk along the path there are nearly always paddlers of some kind on the canal. In my town there is a boat house where the rowing teams from the high school keep their boats and practice. It's different than your dragon boats, but the closest thing I see in my piece of the world.

Tadah: what are you doing this weekend? There must be something fun going on.

Paula: glad to hear you are healing. It is hard to be patient and I sympathize. You are an active lady so the slow-down for you must be hard. I'm glad your mom is there for you.

Michelle: I keep imagining that when we meet you, you will inspire us all with your boundless energy. Hope the new hairdo is to your liking.

Graycie: Hello - are you enjoying the heat we have now in Western New York? I am, even though I do not like being sweaty. But, I like warmth. Have a great holiday.

Deb: glad you are feeling better and that your services went well. I would love to be close enough to come and worship with you at some time. I imagine the feeling and the spirit is very special.

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I've tried to communicate with everyone. Hope I haven't inadvertently missed someone. I've been out of it, as I told you, for awhile now. If I did, please know I wish you well and happiness this weekend.

I had my doctor appointment this week and there was much to dicuss. Medically, some things are okay, some are not. I have diabetes, but have not managed it well in recent months and so test results are not good and I feel pretty guilty about that. Especially after all the trouble everyone took to help me survive cancer. I have a new glucose monitor, adjusted medications, and a stern warning from my doctor to help me repent and start to do better. It also seems that I have very low Vitamin D levels and this is the current explanation for the daily muscle cramps on my feet and legs. I wake almost every night with cramps and they are painful and distressing. I've tried alot of remedies (stretching, more water, wearing socks to keep warm, etc., etc.) but nothing prevents this. So, now I'm going to be taking supplements, and if that doesn't help, a stronger prescription for Vitamin D. I did not know this could happen. I eat a varied diet, with plenty of dairy, so I just never considerd I would have a vitamin deficiency. Finally, I am returning to taking an anti-depressant, which I have taken before, with good response. I expect it will help me.

Well, the sun is very bright and I would like to walk in it for awhile. Take care and have a lovely weekend everyone.
Mary

Well the summer is finally here! I did my closet change over and as usual, found stuff I forgot I had which is always pleasant.

I began packing for my trip next week and discovered that there's practically nothing to take! A couple of tankinis, sarongs, flip flops and some sleeping pills!!

I have some friends coming over for dinner tomorrow evening and I am at a loss for what to prepare. Watch me buy a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket!!

Nothing planned for the holiday on Monday. I may just empty my car trunk over at my storage unit. I have it packed with the winter clothes I took out of my closets. I'm saving my fun for St. Maarten.

Oh, and I'm getting my summer hair on Tuesday after work. Blonde! I can't wait. Being a redhead was cool but blondes definitely do have more fun!! I was a blonde about 2 years ago and boy, was I popular!!

Cindy, just popping in to say I have been thinking about you. Sorry I am a bit late! You sound like you're hanging in there. Let's hope this is the last countdown of chemos for all of us!

Laura, glad you are still NED and healthy.

Love you all .....
Signed,
Working Fool

We have been working outside, here is a before picture..



These picture's are from last year as what it will eventually look like.

Gail - so nice! Love the pics!!

Oh Gail...great garden. Okay..so you can come and fix up my garden and Tracy in NY can make new curtains for the windows and Victoria can paint pictures for the walls! There! That oughta do it!

TracyNY..hope you found something in the grocery aisles! I wander the internet first. I plug in different words and then it gives me ideas!

RoseMarie and Victoria.. yes...my days in the coffee houses were the BEST! I wandered from one to the other and auditioned. It was my dream in those days. I wrote poems of my dreams to be a famous singer. I knew all the performers that sang in these places and my friends were my followers! They'd write up advertisements for me. I absolutely loved it. Fell in love with every cute guy who performed..especially the one with the cowboy hat. Wonder what happened to him???